To feel guilty about all the stuff we’ve got rid of over the years..

[AG29]

I’m trying so hard to be more environmentally friendly and reduce our carbon footprint but I still feel as a family we still have a long way to go.

What is bugging me is the amount of crap my kids have been given over the year’s that’s just ended up landfill. Not necessarily by us by the way. My parents and my grandparents often by them cheap tat for Christmas that doesn’t get looked at past Boxing Day. I sound ungrateful but I’d rather one present than lots of junk. anyway after a year or two it ends up either sold or a charity shop which I know isn’t too bad. But some of it has just ended up in landfill 😭 and I feel so guilty for it.

My daughter had this large built in cupboard full of things she doesn’t really play with so I sorted it out it today planning to take a lot to the charity shop but the cupboard has gone horrifically
Mouldy since I lasted cleaned it out a few months ago and I’ve had to bin some it. Particularly soft toys, toy prams, toys with fabric on.

Over the years we’ve had to bin broken toys, toys they aren’t worth anything to pass on.

I’m really sick of it.

I’m sick of My family buying tat. I try and tell them to buy something particular that Dc will like and maybe just one or two gifts but no they just buy numerous items that Dc aren’t interested in. They both have additional needs and have very specific interests. My uncles and aunts and my grandparents etc etc also just buy crap.

I’m not sure what I’m getting at here.

If they buy rubbish again this Christmas I’m tempted to take it back, sell on, donate as raffle
Prizes or charity shop it because I’m sick of all the junk!

Aibu to think I should just put my foot down and say no more rubbish toys?

I try and buy toys they will love for a long time or things that can be looked after and sold on..

I must add I feel like I’m in a continuous battle t get rid of stuff to fit new stuff in over and over again and I’m fighting a losing battle. I try and buy things that are easy to store.. my house isn’t very big!

I agree with you.
DS gets 3 really lovely Christmas presents from us, good quality stuff and that’s it.
Intend to continue doing so over the next years.

I had to throw away a lot of my stuff because I moved to the other side of the world.
I left with 3 suitcases that contained all my possessions and it felt great to be so clutterfree.

I feel bad about all the stuff too

No doubt someone will come along and say you are ungrateful but i agree with you!
It is so hard to deal with the cinstamt stream of crap people bring into My HOME!
They dont want it in their home, but dont mi d buying it for me.
I have kept a few things in the box to sell/ regift or donate to charity shop because they just dont need it.
Nobody listens when i say we would rather have a cinema ticket tho (which costs less and they like more!)
Just say youll have to not accept toys because of space

I read about a system of just 4 presents for Christmas - what children want, need, wear, read. I wish I’d heard of that when my two were young. Impossible to do with tweens.

@EssexGurl yes! That was to replicate the 4 gifts jesus recieved- gold mhur frankensense and the lamb. 4 really is enough and the children can actually play/ use it all and remember what they got!
But the problem lies with relatives who dont share your views and make you feel guilty for not giving the kids 6382726billion presents to open and forget about!

YANBU. Sometimes I look at my garden and wonder what it would look like if all the rubbish I've created over my lifetime was dumped in it. Sobering thought.

I aim to be consuming less generally in future. We (humans) have a lot to answer for. It's bloody hard though with all the stuff that comes into the house - all the truly single use items, plastic and packaging especially get on my nerves. I definitely think twice these days.

i Don’t know why people insist on gifting tat. I really would rather people didn’t buy me anything at all, they know that.
On my recent birthday most of the gifts I was given were put to the charity shop. This might make me seem ungrateful but I wish they would save themselves money

You need to put it about they are into something small, expensive and durable : lego, Playmobil, Brio trains etc. Specify particular items for Christmas (to avoid being gifted a car boot job lot). Then it will take up less space and last to get passed on.